Charged with Murder
by PowersPen
Summary: ***Previously "The Cafe"*** This started as the scene in the Cafe at the end of Spirit Bound from Dimitiri's POV. It has evolved into the end of the book. Still a work in progress and I would love any advice to help improve it!  Please leave me review
1. The Cafe

**a/n: This is my first Fan Fic. The scene in the cafe is one of my favorite of the series. I could totally read into how Dimitri was feeling as I read it from Rose's perspective, but it wasn't until I read other's FanFic that I thought about putting my ideas into writing. Please let me know what you think. All comments are welcomed!**

**All characters in all chapters belong to Richelle Mead. I just use the characters as I see fit!**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 1: The Cafe**

Some say it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. Right now, I agree with that statement. The time that I had with Rose before I changed will always be a part of me. A reminder that I was once happy, that I once deserved to be happy. But I don't deserve that any more. Not after what I've done.

Lissa saved me from the demon that I had become, but the life I lived as the undead has condemned me. I am dhampir, but I will never be who I was. I will never be the man who loved Rose completely. How can I love her when I hate myself? But whoever spoke those wise words was right. My life is better because I loved her, and even now that I have chosen not to keep her in my life, I am grateful for the love we once shared. I am grateful for the memories.

She keeps asking to see me, but I'm not ready for that. I need to let her go. I need her to not want me anymore. She doesn't understand that seeing her, hearing her voice, kills my heart. She was my only reason for living, and I lost that when I lost my life. She became a game to me, and conquest. I abused her. How can she forgive me? Why would she? I can't let her forget what I did.

My heart longs for her, for her connection, her understanding. No one understands me like she does. But now, not even she can understand. I can't. Undead or not, how could I have done those terrible things to her? Every time I close my eyes, I remember. They aren't my memories I see, but it is me biting her, bribing her, attacking her. It was me, I remind myself, and that's why I can't be with her.

The Moroi don't trust me. I can't blame them. But at least they let me leave my cell. I'm not free, though, always a prisoner to those horrid memories. The memories from when I was Strigoi, the memories of the pain her eyes. She trusts me so completely, so quick to believe anything I tell her. Oh, Roza. How could you believe me? _Love fades. Mine has._

It was the hardest thing I have ever had to say, but she needed to hear it. She needs to forget me and move on, and maybe if she thinks I don't love her, she will. But how could she believe me. How could she believe so easily? Years of practicing a façade of no emotion made it easy for me not to show my angst and my heart breaking with those words, but my eyes must have held the truth. I felt them pleading for her to understand. But she didn't see. She just saw the stone cold exterior that held together my breaking soul. As she ran from the church, I almost felt dead again.

Absentmindedly, I turn another page to my novel. My eyes scan the words on the pages, but I'm not comprehending them. Though I've been stripped of my title, my instincts are still intact. My eyes dart from each of the Guardians of my escort, to the couple by the counter, the staff, the door. I know my escape route, and I've determined there is no danger, but somehow, I'm still feel alert. I turn another page.

I felt the chilled wind from outside invade the café as someone opened the door and entered. I keep my eyes down, knowing whoever it is will allow their gaze to linger on me as they try to determine if I've really turned back to a dhampir. I hate the states, so I pretend to ignore them. But this time, it's different. The door to the outside has close, but a warm chill runs through my body. I know before I lift my eyes who will be standing in front me. I'm always aware when Rose is near.

Our eyes met for the slightest moment, and she turns away. She seems determined not to acknowledge me. I am grateful for that. I have to work so hard to keep the smile from creeping onto my lips, to keep my impassive exterior in place. Even as my heart breaks with the memories that flood my mind of the days she spent as my hostage, my stomach flutters to have her so close.

As the air between us grows thick, I know that she is aware I'm here. But she's ignoring me. I'm not sure if I'm happy or disappointed. For her sake, I'm happy. She doesn't need me in her life. I vowed to protect her, before I changed, and I will keep that promise, though now it takes on a different meaning. I must protect her from me.

The minutes she stands at the counter feel like hours and seconds all at the same time. Finally, she turns to leave, eyes set away from me when my guard calls out to her, "Hey Rose. Are you going to the Council today?" She hesitates. Not enough that I think anyone notices but me. I can tell she's trying to compose herself. I hurt her worse than I thought. _Love fades. Mine has._ My words were haunting me, I can't imagine how badly the stung at her. I hated to hurt her, but it's what she needed.

And then, her hesitation was gone and a beautiful but fake smile played at her lips. She carefully spoke only to my escort, keeping her gaze from me. "Yup. Just grabbing a bite to before I go."

With a smile on his face, another guard questions her. I wish they would just let her leave. "Are they going to let you in?" I can only assume from the direction of this conversation that Rose let her control slip again. Her passion for life and protecting everyone around her has an uncanny ability to get her into trouble, and it seems to have done it again.

"That's an excellent question," Rose replied, her forced smile relaxing into a genuine one. "But I figure I should give it a try. I'll also try to be on good behavior." My own chuckle was masked by that of the guardian who began the conversation, and I was glad it went unnoticed. I enjoyed her being near, and I didn't want to have to push her away again.

"I certainly hope not. That group deserves all the grief you can give them over that stupid age law." As the guardian spoke, my attention snapped into focus on the words being said rather than watching Rose. _Age law_.

"What age law?" I could no longer refrain from participating in this conversation. I knew some royals were considering pushing for such a ridiculous amendment to dhampir education, but I didn't think the queen would ever take it seriously.

Rose turned towards me slowly, controlling her face, but her eyes betrayed her true feelings. Seeing the pain and confusion beneath her stony expression, I realized that I, too, betrayed her. Who was I to deny her anything she wanted? Could I really be with her again?

"The decree where royals think sending sixteen-year-old dhampirs out to fight Strigoi is the same as sending eighteen-year-olds." Her voice was controlled, and cold. I couldn't worry about that right now.

I felt my body respond to the threat the new law imposed to dhampirs, and I straightened into my guardian stance, no longer, forcing the relaxed, nonchalant exterior of someone enjoying a book. "Which sixteen-year-olds are fighting Strigoi?"

Around me, my five escorts also responded to a threat. Me. Instinctively, the picked up on my quick change in demeanor and were suddenly alter and aware. Hesitantly, whether because of the éclair she was trying to eat or maybe I had frightened her as well, Rose responded, "That's the decree. Dhampirs graduate when they're sixteen now."

"When did this happen?"

"Just the other day. No one told you?" One of my personal guardians responded to Rose's question with a shrug, confirming that our relationship was anything but a social one. They were assigned to me to protect others, not to become cronies. But Lissa hadn't told me either. Had she tried? I quickly replayed our conversations. Did she not trust me either?

"No." I answered both Rose's question and my own. What did the royals hope to gain by graduating dhampirs earlier? Did they not realize that doing so was just putting their lives more at risk? These students aren't emotionally ready to handle this sort of stress. Look at what it did to Rose when she killed her first Strigoi, and she was seventeen. How could they think this was a good idea? "That's insane. Morality aside, they aren't ready that young. It's suicide."

I realized that I was speaking my thoughts when Rose responded. "I know. Tasha gave a really good argument against it." She hesitated, and color rose to her cheeks when she spoke again. "I did, too." _Roza. _ The color in her cheeks and the smiles on the faces of the guardians around us confirmed what I already knew. I sighed. She really needed to learn to control her temper.

"Was it a close vote?" As I questioned Rose, I felt myself fall back into my guardian routine. I locked her as a distraction back into the corner of my heart and allowed the more pressing conversation consume me. The lives of younger generations of dhampirs are more important than my tormented existence.

"Very close. If Lissa could have noted, it wouldn't have been passed." Rose started to relax a bit. It seemed she was enjoying our conversation about a topic other than us.

"Ah, the quorum." The Moroi law seemed like a loophole to me, to give the ruling vote the ability to negate a Royal's rank if needed.

"You know about that?" Surprise lacing her words. If I didn't know her better, I would have thought she was insulting me.

"It's an old Moroi law."

"So I hear."

As Rose and I discussed the new decree more, I tried to ignore the joy I felt for having her near and the anger that I felt towards the Moroi Royals. I always fight to maintain control, and when I referenced my treatment during the interrogation, I knew my voice faltered and resentment spilled through my words. Rose seemed content to let me play through the situation in my mind and talk through what I was thinking. I was calculating the meaning of the Royal's actions. I recognized that something was out of place, but could determine exactly what it was.

I could see the emotions play through Rose's mind as she was obviously recounting parts of our past. Her eyes mirrored the longing I felt, a longing I hope my eyes kept secret. Suddenly a change in her eyes startled me, and I could no longer see what she was feeling. The coldness in her gaze was bittersweet. Maybe she finally understood what I had been saying to her in the church. _Love fades. Mine has._ Maybe she finally understood we can't be together. And with that understanding, I knew I would have to mourn her loss from my life. And my heart broke all over again. I felt my stomach fall to the floor and my body protest as my heart tried to cease beating.

None of this I let Rose see. I just kept talking about the decree, formulating my plan to take action. "The next time you see Tasha, will you send her to me? We need to talk about this."

"So, Tasha can be your friend, but not me?" Rose spat hatred and jealousy at me and then flushed with embarrassment. For a moment her eyes were alive with emotion again, but I didn't try to read them. I needed to make her understand.

I asked the guardians to give us some space, and obligingly, the stepped away to a whispered conversation would be unheard. As I turned back to Rose, she sat down across from me. Desperately, I needed Rose to understand, but I didn't want her to know what I was holding inside. "You and Tasha have completely different situations. She can safely be in my life. You can't."

I forced the words from my mouth with no emotion, hearing how cold they sounded. Knowing I had to this, and hating myself for it at the same time. Her face was immediately streaked with anger as she flipped her hair from her shoulder. In that moment, nothing else existed except for the two small wounds and light bruise on her shoulder. As she protested her new role in my life, the bite on her should gnawed holes in my heart. I was slightly repulsed by the bite, but understood at the same time that it was her attempt to move on.

"It doesn't seem like you need me in your life." My words were colder than before, almost lifeless, and I was building the wall of control so she wouldn't see how betrayed I felt. Confusion turned to understanding when I inclined my head in the direction of her shoulder, and she pulled a curtain of her hair back over her should to mask her disgrace.

"That's none of your business," she hissed at me, and I hoped again, that maybe she understood.

"Exactly. Because you need to live your own life, far away from me." From the bottom of my heart, I know my statement is true, but I desperately wish it wasn't.

Rose began to speak again. She hadn't been paying attention and didn't hear the rhythmic beat of the approaching guard. They were advancing on us quickly. I quickly assessed the room again. There was no threat, except for me. But I wasn't sure why they would be coming for me.

As they entered the room, I noticed the red pin that marked this class of guardians as the Queens guard. Walking Death. In an instant, both Rose and I were on our feet. Months of training together, and I trusted her instincts, knowing she trusted mine. Without a thought, I turned my back to her to face the guards who were closing around us. My escorts, though obviously confused, recognized the guard was coming for me and joined their ranks.

A Guardian demanded, "You need to come with us. If you resist, we'll take you by force."

Before his threat left his lips, Rose was yelling "Leave him alone." Protecting me, despite everything I had done to her. She is so pure at heart. So kind. But I knew from the looks on the guards' faces, she was also so wrong. They weren't here for me. They had come to take her. And I would protect her. As I promised.

Beyond confused, Rose questioned the response that confirmed what I read on their faces. "You're… you're here for me?"

"What for?" My anger towards the guard and pure fear for Rose filled my muscles as I prepared to do whatever it took to protect the woman I love. I couldn't let anything happen to her, even if that meant I had to suffer internally to be by her side.

The guards ignored me, barking another order for Rose to go with them, as he showed the handcuffs in his hands.

"That's crazy!" Rose yelled out in her natural defiance that tainted with fear. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me how the hell this—" The rest of Rose's words were choked off by action as two guards lunged towards her. She defended herself against the two, as more advanced.

My vision was tinted in red when I saw a Guardian grab Rose around the arm and attempt to restrain her arms. Before my mind decided to act, my arms were already around Rose pulling her away from the threat. With a voice purely animalistic, I growled at the guardians, "Don't touch her."

I surrendered my body to the instinct to protect the woman I love and pinned her between me and the table, with my back to her. As guards attacked, I defended her, knowing nothing she did warranted this type of response from the Royals. I was aware only of her safely behind me and the space between me and the guards. As the guards displaced the air between us in their attempt to attack, I responded, careful not to kill them, but certain to incapacitate them.

In a haze not related to the fight, I could hear the faint whisper of a memory as I explained to Rose that I couldn't love her. _You and I will both be Lissa's guardians some day. I need to protect her at all cost. If a pact of Strigoi come, I need to throw my body between them and her. If I let myself love you, I won't throw myself in front of her. I'll throw myself in front of you._ Even when I spoke those words to her, I knew it was too late. Lissa would be my guard, but Rose was my priority. These guardians aren't Strigoi, but they are threatening her all the same.

"Stay back." My demand was a plea, my comment a promise, "They aren't laying a hand on you."

Not even a moment later, her gentle touch on side contradicted that harshness of her scream, "Stop! I'll come! I'll come with you!" I heard her, I felt her touch and longed to respond to it, but my instincts to protect her where still controlling me. No one else responded either, so I kept fighting. But she began to shake my arm. My body responding her touch, yearning for more, but still alert to the danger around us. She was pleading with me, "Stop! Don't fight anymore."

"Rose—" I'm not sure what I was going to say to her, but I raised my hand in response to another approach guardian.

Again, she screamed for me to stop, throwing her weight into me. Her gentle whisper pleading for me to hear her. "Stop. Don't fight them anymore. I'm going to go with them."

"I won't let them take you." _I will throw myself in front of you_. My words weren't only a promise, but a request for her to hear the love I couldn't profess at this moment.

Pain, angst, and fear shown through her eyes as she begged me. She was trying to tell me something without using the words. But as a guard stepped crept closer to wear she was behind me, my attention was focused on him. She then grabbed my hand and my full my attention and put herself between the guard and me. Like she was protecting me. Her intense gaze bore into my soul. "Please, now more."

And I understood. She _was_ protecting me. She was afraid for me and my image. People still don't trust that I'm no longer Strigoi and my techniques that make me the guardian I was could also be interpreted as aggression associated with the undead. She was begging me with the touch of her hand and her soft, fearful eyes to stop fighting to protect _me._

I felt my face fall with comprehension. The strong controlled exterior melted with her sacrifice. I will protect her until I fall or they all fall, but I will keep fighting. She must have seen my unspoken message because she shook her head and squeezed my hand before dropping it.

I held my hand out for a fraction of a second willing her to grab it again. Not to surrender, not to leave me. But with the maturity that marked Rose as a great guardian when she needed it, she kept her eyes locked forward and presented her wrists to the guards. She pleaded with the guards not to take me, "I'll go quietly. But please… don't lock him back up. He just thought… he just thought I was in trouble."

As the guards snapped the handcuff into place on her wrists, Rose was selflessly trying to protect me when she needed to worry for herself. A plan was already beginning to formulate in my mind as to how I was going to get her out of this when the guard proclaimed, "Rosemarie Hathaway, you are under arrest for high treason." My planning came to a halt as she asked the question that was already on my lips.

"What kind of high treason?" Her voice was calm, controlled.

And then my world stopped. "The murder of Her Royal Majesty, Queen Tatiana." _Death._

_

* * *

_

_**Please review!**_


	2. After the Arrest

**Chapter 2: After the Arrest**

I watched as Rose left with the Royal Guard. I fell back into my chair, the café a wreck around me. My escort fell back into place in their loose circle around me, the demeanor no longer relaxed. Their faces exposed the calculated thoughts as they each tried to determine if Rose was capable of doing as she had been charged. The guard's words echoed in my head. _The murder of Her Royal Highness, Queen Tatiana._ How could this all be happening?

For the first time in days, I was no longer absorbed in my own self-loathing. My mind was now turning over the events that just took place, formulating a plan to somehow make it right. The café and my guards were suddenly stifling and I needed to be moving. I jumped to my feet, my quick change alerting my guards into action, one reached to restrain me before realizing there was no threat. Sheepishly, he let his hand fall as I glared at him and shrugged in response. His simple reaction irritated me and I struggled to find the self-control about which Rose would playfully tease me.

The Court was animated as the news of the Queen's death spread. My guards were no longer lax around me and wouldn't answer any of my questions about Rose's outburst in Court, so I quickly gave up on them. With my head bowed and my hands in a knot behind my back, I meandered around listening for any information that might give me insight into what had happened and why Rose was being blamed.

I wanted to try to see her, to talk to her, but I knew I wouldn't be allowed anywhere near the prison. Every plan I devised was more complicated and less likely than the one before. With my own escort party, the possibility of freeing her was unlikely, unrealistic.

The scurrying Moroi offered little in the sense of useful information. Some suggested passion while others swore the Queen had been beaten beyond recognition. Neither pointed to Rose, but everyone's suspicions were still with her.

I was falling apart, held together only by my skin. When Rose was in trouble, I broke my façade of indifference, showing her how much I still loved her. Did she see it in my eyes? In the fear on face? I should have told her, instead of playing silly games. I wanted to protect her from myself, but I knew I was only hurting her. How did I convince myself I was doing the right thing? Now, it felt like I've wasted precious time with her. Treason was punishable by death.

There was no question in my mind; I will do whatever I need to do protect her. But to do that, I need information, and no one was talking to me. No one seemed to even have an accurate story. Could I maybe lend a hand in the investigation so I could get more information? I dismissed the idea before it fully formed. No one would trust me.

I headed towards an administrative building to see if someone would talk to me, knowing that no one would. If I could remain unseen, unheard, maybe I would overhear something useful. The information on the street was all speculation, rumors so diluted from a constant trickle through the rumor mill that any shreds of truth were indiscernible. Closer to the source would hopefully yield more accurate information.

"Can you believe it was that dhampir girl? The unstable one?" I didn't like the way they talked about Rose. She's was rash something, but not unstable.

"How do you know?"

"They say the girl left her dagger."

Two women were rushing by deep in gossip, unaware that I was taking in every word they spoke. Some rumors were outrageous, but as I headed towards the administration building I repeatedly heard about Rose's dagger and a threat she made in court. I pondered on the truth of the dagger.

I walked into the administrative building, having to stop myself from running, and recognized Lissa and Christian talking to Adrian and his mother. I didn't want to announce myself, but I knew if anyone had information, these four were likely. I slipped into the shadows unseen, easily done with the number of people frantically milling around. My escorts were wrapped up in the commotion and dispatched to different responsibilities. With the Queen's death, my security was suddenly a low priority. I was thankful.

I lingered close enough to Lissa and the others so I could hear the conversation they were having. Beneath the worry and fear in Lissa's voice, I was half hoping to see Rose staring through gathering information as well, but I knew, even if she was in Lissa's head, I wouldn't see her.

"I'm afraid not. Tatiana was killed last night, and Rose is their main suspect." When Adrian's mother confirmed the words the guards had spoken earlier, I felt the wind rush from my lungs. I hadn't even realized that I was holding on to a last shred of hope that there had been a miscommunication, a misunderstanding.

I listened as Lissa and Christian pleaded with Daniella to see reason, as if she held the deciding factor. "…And apparently, they have other evidence they say proves her guilt." The information I was waiting for. I held my breath as Lissa asked my unspoken question.

"What kind of evidence?" Daniella had no answers for Lissa or me, and as she explained the council's new control over the government, I was analyzing the little information I had gathered so far. It was clear that Rose and the Queen didn't get along well, but there must be something more going on. They wouldn't conclude that a young dhampir killed the queen just because of a shouting match.

In another part of my mind, I heard Lissa trying to create an alibi for Rose to prove her innocence. Guilt radiated from her as she obviously wished she could provide this service to her friend, but it was Adrian who spoke, "She wasn't alone."

"What are you saying?" Daniella questioned, as if Adrian had just admitted to killing the Queen himself.

"She wasn't alone. I was with her all night." I had know that Rose was with Adrian, evidence from the bite on her neck that I noticed before the guards descended on us in the café, but hearing Adrian admit they'd spent the night together sent a shockwave of pain through me. Beneath my practiced exterior, I felt my stomach quake and my heart fall from my chest.

For a moment I forgot about everything going on around us and I could only focus on the crazy boy standing in front of me. I haven't liked him from the moment he tried to slither his way into Rose's life. He was bad for her. A bad type. Into sex, and alcohol. No inhibitions. And Rose spend the night with him. In my mind's eye, I could see his hand caressing her bare skin. Her body responding to him. It was all wrong. I didn't want any hands on her but my own. A very small voice was reminding me that she ran into his arms because I pushed her away, but I didn't want to listen to that reason. I wanted hurt Adrian for seducing Rose, but more, I wanted to love Rose as I did the night of the academy attack in the cabin.

And with that thought, I remembered, unless I could figure out what was happening, that would never happen again. She would be put to death. _The murder of Her Royal Highness._

I found my way out of the building as Daniella frantically tried to alibi her son. She didn't want him implicated in such a terrible crime. I understood a mother's love, but really, as anger pulsated through my body, I was afraid I would lose control from her lack of worry about the one who was really in trouble.

The brisk air smack me as I opened the door outside. With it came a new focus and determination to figure out exactly what happened last night and who would have set up Rose. I pushed aside my jealousy of the time Adrian spent with her and my fear and worry for her locked in the bowls of the court. I had to do something. I just didn't know where to begin.


	3. Nothing Left to Do

**Chapter 3: Nothing Left to Do**

It became painfully obvious over the last couple of hours how little I was regarded among the Guardians that were once my colleagues and friends. I had figured that the best way to get information would be to talk to those who the most the murder, the ones investigating it, but the most attention I received was narrowed eyes and scoffs of distrust. Even the Moroi that I tried to question were less than enthusiastic to offer information.

I was frustrated and angry and controlling my temper was becoming more and more difficult with each passing moment. I could hear Rose pleading with me to stop fighting and I knew I had to get my temper in check. If I lost control, her surrender would have been in vain. She's lost everything else, I couldn't let her lose that as well.

I resigned myself to my room. The trail I paced was getting worn, and the movement wasn't helping to calm my spirit. I had no more information to ponder than what I heard of Lissa's conversation. Desperation hung heavily in the air, and suddenly, I was exhausted. I sat on the bed with my head on my knees and fingers interlocked around the back of my neck. For the first time since Lissa saved me, I opened my heart to feel all the emotions I had locked behind my guardian exterior.

My head buzzed of memories with my Roza. The first night I met her. Our training. Running in the morning. The cabin. Surrendering my attention to the memory of the cabin, I can almost hear her gasp as I gave myself to her entirely. I could feel her fingers curl into my back, and her body arch towards me. I could almost remember the sound of her whispered vow to love me forever, and knew I wanted to hear it again.

Then a wave of memories of a different kind flooded over me as I could recall her drunken stupor after I fed from her as a Strigoi. The confused expression as she tried to remove the red eyes and pale skin from my otherwise normal appearance. The night she asked why I wanted her to awaken and my response wasn't what she had hoped for. Kidnapping Lissa to get to Rose. The memories that haunted me, that were forever a part of me, but could no longer keep me from my Roza.

I knew I could do nothing to help her until I understood what the courts had against her. Conceding to that realization, I let my mind go blank and drifted into an uneasy sleep.


	4. Before Rose's Hearing

**Chapter 4: Before the Hearing**

I'm not sure how long I had slept. It couldn't have been too terribly long. I slowly pushed up on my elbows, running my fingers through my hair. The texture was wrong, not like Rose's silky hair, but the action brought me back to her for the slightest moment. Remembering happier times brought the faintest whispering of a smile to my face, an expression that felt unfamiliar.

As much as I had wanted to wake up and realize everything that had happened was a dream, there was no confusion. No hoping that it would disappear when my eyes were fully open. With a sigh, I heaved myself from bed and pulled my hair back in a tie. I was hoping that there would be more information about the Queen's murder that would help form a plan for saving Rose.

I heard a hesitant knock at the door and realized that a similar sound was what had awoken me moments earlier. "One minute," I managed with sleep heavily influencing my voice.

I crossed my room in two short strides to open the door. The halls were empty, and I heard the click of the door down the hall closing. Someone wanted me awake, but didn't want me to know who they were. I looked around the halls one last time before closing my door. As I stepped behind the shut door, I felt the smooth surface of a piece of paper contrasting against the rough carpet.

Opening the note, still crouched to the ground, I read the sloppy, quick handwriting.

Rose's hearing will begin in an hour's time. I thought you would want to know.

I turned the paper over to look for more, but there was nothing. I didn't recognize the handwriting, but I wasn't going to waste time trying to determine whose it may be. As quickly as I could, I pulled my shoes on and ran out the door.

The streets were crowded and loud with rumors and fears. I ignored it all, unsure of when the note was left for me. Unsure if I missed the proceeding. Hoping with all my heart that I had not. The courtroom was crowded and from what I could hear from the conversations, nothing had happened yet. I slipped into the back of the room, near enough to Lissa and Adrian and the others that I could hear any conversation they had. At the moment, they were not speaking. They were all darting looks around the room. Nervous. Afraid. Adrian was bouncing his knee and tapping his fingers. His anxiety was radiating towards me, and I evaluated my practiced Guardian exterior to ensure my face betrayed no emotion. I wasn't sure why, but something inside me told me the importance of keeping my stone-cold face in place. Maybe it would help me remain unseen in this crowded room.

Though I was composed and unmoving, I was alert and taking in everything around me. Many people were looking for anyone to blame, hoping to return peace and order to the court. Others were outraged that Rose would be accused, knowing that her boisterous attitude would never lend her to such a heinous crime. The former group, I wanted to silence, but maintained the exterior I thought Rose would want.

_Love fades. Mine has._ As I was listening to conversations around me and tasting the dissention in the air, those terrible words, that terrible lie came flooding back to me. At the time, I wanted Rose to believe me, and it nearly tore me apart to keep all emotion from my face and my voice, but now, doubt and fear flooded me. What if she had believed me? Hopefully she recognized my actions in the café as an example of my love. Hopefully, my actions spoke louder than my words.

I could feel my composure slipping as I contemplated the significance of those words, and quickly pushed the thought from my mind. I was resolute to stay strong while in this court room. I watched as more people trickled into the room, listening for new bits of information. The judge and the lawyers entered the room and moments later, the large double doors in the back of the court opened. A dozen Guardians entered the filtered down the aisle to where Rose's lawyer sat, with Rose in the center. She held her head high, confident, with an expression any proud guardian wore.

With her gaze straight ahead, Rose didn't see me, but her eyes oozed the fear she felt. I was sure no one else could see her fear, no one else could read her eyes the way I did. In that moment I wanted to sprint to her side and comfort her, steal her from this place and protect her, but duty, curiosity, and loyalty to protecting her kept me glued to my seat. How could I protect her from this situation if I didn't understand it? I needed more information and sitting through slanderous accusations was the best way to get it.

I knew the best way for me to help Rose was to be meticulous, to make no mistakes. I would find a way to set her free, completely free, without the fear that someone was searching for her. I had to stay here, stay calm and hear the evidence. I needed to see this case through the eyes of those who accused her so I could be sure to dispel any questions or doubts in their minds about her innocence. I had to overcome my instinct to act and control my anger and wait for the right time. And I had to repeatedly remind myself, _right now is not the right time. Right now is not the right time._

As I stared at the back of Lissa, I couldn't help but envy her bond with Rose. I knew she couldn't understand or feel what it was that Rose was feeling, but she did have the ability to send her a calming feeling. I felt so helpless, here. No more useful than any other bystander, but so much more connected and impacted by the outcome.

As Rose approached the front of the courtroom, I noticed her lawyer for the first time. His stark black suit stood in contrast to his white, blonde hair and seemed to make a mockery of the seriousness of the situation. There was no mistaking who he was, Damon Tarus, Daniella's relative. While he sat next to Rose, her only form of legal defense, something about his appearance screamed that he had already decided on her guilt. I didn't trust who he was, and I didn't trust why he was here.

I notice Rose steal a glance around the room, her eyes surveying her surroundings, never resting on anyone. True guardian form. I knew, she didn't see me. I wasn't sure if I had wanted her to.

I was getting anxious as the seconds ticked by, eager for the proceedings to get started. My nerves were about to explore from me when the judge finally called the room to order. The council filed into their normal seats. It seemed that each of them was hyper aware of the empty seat of Her Majesty's, their faces telling of their emotions. Some were eager at the prospect of filling the empty seat while others were truly in morning. The council was quick about taking their seats. An eagerness to find the murder was apparent on all of their express. That eagerness made me fearful for Rose. Would she receive a fair trial?

In a powerful and commanding voice, the judge called order to the room, "This hearing is now in order, in which we will determine whether there is enough evidence to—"

A guardian was leaning out the door speaking to a latecomer in hushed tones. The responses, though muffled by the cracked door and unintelligible, were loud and demanding. "What is this disturbance about," the judge demanded as the guard sheepish turned to address the court.

"The accused's lawyer is here, Your Honor." A brief silence of shock was followed by a rush of whispers as everyone in the room tried to make sense of that declaration. Mr. Tarus was already at Rose's side, and while I distrusted him greatly, I wasn't sure how I felt about someone making such a huge scene on Rose's behalf in such a serious situation.

"She already has a lawyer." While the judge had no hint of laughter in her words, several in the crowd struggled to stifle the rising laughter in their throats. The guardian's practiced expression slipped into one of confusion as he raised his shoulders into a shrug. "Fine. Send whoever it is up here and let's get this settled. " The judge's tone in combination with curiosity of the unknown interrupter quieted the crowd as the guardian opened the door.

As the doors opened, Ibrahim Mazur strutted down the aisle towards the judge. I had heard rumors of his extravagance, and recognized him immediately, thought I have never met him. His light grey suit and bright red accents seemed outlandish for this event. His ears were traced in gold earrings and his long black beard was outdated. Many Moroi and dhampirs are afraid of him; something about his appearance commanded it. I, too, was afraid. Not of his legend, not of him, but of his motives here.


	5. Ibrahim Mazur

**a/n: It was brought to my attention that I overlooked the interaction between Rose and Dimitri when he was Strigoi about Abe. I worked that into this piece without really changing much of the story. While she did mention she knew him, she didn't mention much about the relationship they had at the time, not to mention how much it developed since that scene in the book. I am sure anyone observing their interaction would question how they knew each other, and with Dimitri being so perceptive, he was sure to notice something others didn't. Please let me know if you like the change or if I need to still rework it. This is a work in progress and I am eager to please my fans!**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 5: Ibrahim Mazur**

The court seemed as shocked as I was when Ibrahim claimed the room with his confidence. Shocked, but not all as displeased. "This is… unexpected," The judge declared. I was sure she had a hundred words she would have preferred to use rather than 'unexpected' and by the girlish grin across her face, I'm sure at least half of them were complimentary.

In a great show of unprofessionalism, Ibrahim bowed to her, sweeping his hand through the air, "It's lovely to see you Paula. You haven't aged a day."

I could tell by the way Lissa and Christian glanced at one another in front of me that they, too, were nervous about this man claiming to be Rose's lawyer. Ibrahim had quite a reputation among dhaphirs, and I wracked my brain to recall everything I've heard about him over time. Nothing lent itself as support as to why he was here claiming this case.

I intently watched Ibrahim, as I'm sure everyone else was, intent to determine his reasoning for today's appearance. He turned to Rose and his face softened for the slightest moment. He immediately returned to his nonchalant masquerade, but it was too late. I had already seen so much in his slightest moment of weakness. Concern. Fear. Determination. I could see every emotion I was feeling boiling behind his façade. I was sure no one else saw it. What did this mean?

Damon was protesting Ibrahim's arrival as much as I had wanted to moments ago. But the feelings I had seen a moment before made me certain that he was a better candidate to represent Rose, if, for no other reason than the fact the he genuinely seemed concerned about her future. Damon was there as a publicity stunt, a notion that made my heckles rise, but Ibrahim had revealed with his faltered expression that he presence was deeper rooted.

A memory flashed into the forefront my mind. A memory from when I was Strigoi. _"You're just like Abe," _Rose teased me as we were lying together. My heartbeat painfully quickened as if to give me a physical representation of the emotional damage caused by those Strigoi actions.

_"Who?" _I remember questioning here, but not really caring.

_"This guy I met. Abe Mazur. He's some kind of mob boss… he kept following me." _I couldn't connect to my logic when I was that monster, but I could remember who my muscles tensed when she spoke of Ibrahim Mazur. My distrust and dislike for him seemed to be amplified by my Strigoi senses and temperament. I remembered the hatred burning like coals in my stomach.

_"Abe Mazur was following you?" _The fire of hatred spat inside me.

_"Yeah. So?"_

_"Why? What did he want with you?" _

_"I don't know. He wanted to know why I was in Russia but finally gave up and just wanted me to leave. I think somebody from home hired him to find me."_

_"I don't want you near Abe Mazur He's dangerous."_ Recalling the memory now left me shameful because my concern was not for Rose's protection. I still couldn't comprehend how my thinking was so demented. I didn't deserve Rose. But I had already made my decision to protect her.

I was certain that he and Rose had shared a past together more than she had told me about that day. I wasn't sure what it involved, but a pit in my stomach that hadn't been present since I saw the puncture marks on her neck had suddenly appeared again. I felt sick as a corner of my mind wandered to the secret moments Ibrahim and Rose may have shared together. I did not know much about Ibrahim, I was certain most of the rumors weren't true, but I did know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, he loved Rose deeply. The love that now softened his eyes was strong, engrained in him. A love, I was sure, that was only recognizable by another who has felt its power. A love that might rival mine.

"Community Lawyer! I'm one of the most renowned lawyers among American Moroi." Damon struggled to keep his voice level, but each syllable he spat was filled with the flames of fury.

As Ibrahim responded "Renowned, community. I don't judge. No pun intended, " with a chuckle and a smile, Damon's color shifted from pale to scarlet, and the veins in his neck became very visible. If Ibrahim noticed, he didn't react. He busied himself with a weak explanation to the judge about his status as a lawyer, "I am a lot of thing, Paula—Your Honor. Besides, does it matter? She only needs someone to speak for her."

"And she has someone. Me!" Damon hardly even tried to control his voice at this point. Something about the argument taking place in the courtroom seemed like toddlers fighting over a new toy. I didn't enjoy the way everyone was talking about Rose as if she wasn't even sitting there, not accounting for her at all. She was the most important person in the room and was being completely ignored.

As if the judge was listening to my own thoughts, she turned to Rose, "Let the girl choose. Who do you want to represent you?"

"I…" Rose's expression went from amused confusion to frightened when the decision landed on her. She looked between the two men who stood in front of her fighting to be her representation. If the situation hadn't been so serious, her darting eyes would have been slightly comical. Seconds past without a word from her lips.

A movement in the front row caught my attention as Daniella was approaching Rose. She whispered something to Rose, and then Rose turned away. Daniella gave her husband a look that I detested. The fear on her face wasn't for Rose, but rather a plan that was disintegrating before her. Her face was colored with concern of losing control. I knew that look on her face in the stolen moment between her and her husband was a piece to this puzzle, but I still wasn't sure how it all fit together.

Rose's gaze had fallen on Ibrahim. Her eyes were pleading with him to protect her. An unspoken conversation was taking place, one that I felt like an intruder for interrupting. Without removing her eyes from Ibrahim's, Rose responded to the judge, "I'll take him." She then whispered something else to Ibrahim, something I almost entirely missed. But as the last words fell from her lips, the way her face softened as she spoke "Zmey" showed me how completely she trusted him to take care of her.

I did not trust Tarus, especially after the look Daniella gave her husband a moment ago. I did not trust Ibrahim. But I did trust Rose, unquestionably. And since she was putting her trust in Ibrahim, I found myself relaxing slightly as he took his seat next to her.

Rose had called Ibrahim "Zmey"; serpent. There was no denying that they shared a relax, trusting relationship. Most people who used the term zmey spoke it with hatred and fear, but Rose's reaction to the word was almost playful, a term of endearment. I was uncomfortable with the intimacy of such a nickname. My heart fluttered for an instant as I remembered the sound of her voice, as beautiful as the sound of a waterfall deep in the forest, when she would call me Comrade. Always with a smile playing at her lips. _Ah, Roza_. My heart pounded in my chest a lament full of longing and love for my Roza.

I watched Rose and Zmey as they whispered to one another while the judge opened the hearing. Rose's jocular expression quickly turned cold as I heard an expletive leave her mouth. Zmey's posture took on a more serious stature as he leaned into Rose. I couldn't see his face, but I heard the whisper of an emphatic "_never"_ as he tried to console her.

I had come to this hearing to understand the evidence that held Rose as the only suspect in the Queen's murder, but I found myself ignoring the trial and evaluating everything about the way Ibrahim and Rose interacted with one another. After several moments, I was able to fill the pit in my stomach that was suspicious of a romantic relationship. I use to yearn for Rose's show of love with a casual touch on the arm, a moment when our eyes would lock, a stolen kiss. Small, intimate gestures that had the power to move mountains and melt my heart. But watching Rose interact with her lawyer, I saw nothing of the sort. I didn't doubt the love that I saw in Zmey eye's earlier, but now I questioned it origins. How did they know each other? Why did it bother me so much?

A collective gasp around the room brought my attention back to the courtroom. I silently scolded myself for losing focus as I often did around Rose. If I wanted to set her free, I needed to focus now. Not without difficulty, I pushed the mystery of Ibrahim Mazur's relationship with Rose from my mind and devoted my attention to the hearing.

* * *

**a/n: Please review! Also, I wanted to let you know that I have posted my plans on my profile page. Check it out to see where I'm going after I finish _Charged with Murder_.**


	6. The Hearing

**Chapter 6: The Hearing**

In the front of the court room, Iris Kane, a Moroi who had never concealed her desire to be Royal, paraded in front of the judge describing in detail the murder of Queen Tatiana. She had a smirk across her face that showed too clearly how much she was enjoying the attention, and I was sure that she would do anything to make this trial last a while.

Iris dramatically told the story of the Queen retiring early to bed in search of a long night's rest. She describe a hasty, rash murder of brutality and strength. A clumsy slaying that painted the walls and furniture with blood. Iris showed pictures of the Queen's frozen, lifeless face with a look of utter horror and shock. Image after image was proffered as evidence of the vicious crime.

Without ever using her name, Iris had done a good job at convincing many in the room of Rose's guilt. But each sloppy picture, each devastating image showed a clumsy murder committed by a physically weak individual. A skillful Guardian could deliver that devastating blow to the heart while hardly spilling any blood. A skill Guardian would have acted quickly enough that the Queen would not have been able to register the emotions painted over her lifeless face. Whatever the proof showed, I was certain that the Guardian I trained, that Rose, an exceptional warrior, wouldn't be so careless.

In front of me, Lissa head drooped with the weight of the conviction in the room. She, too, felt the agreement of guilt spreading. The slant in her shoulders spoke of the fear in her heart, and I wanted to protect her from this charade as well. Christian kept his hand around her shoulder, whispering, comforting her best he could. There was no doubt the Lissa's emotions were pure, true. Other's in the room were acting as they felt they should, and it angered me. But I was steadfast in my determination to catch every detail of this hearing, and I quickly refocused on the hearing as the judge called Rose forward for questioning.

Rose's Guardian façade was securely in place when she sat and faced Iris and Ibrahim, the two who would be questioning her. She kept a respectful posture and her eyes never drifted beyond the lawyers or occasionally the judge.

"Ms. Hathaway, what time did you return to your room last night?" Iris had emphasized that use of Rose's informal name, stripping her publically of her Guardian status. I knew such an action would sting Rose's pride, but she didn't react in the slightest. She maintained her composure and responded in a steady voice.

"I don't know the exact time… Somewhere around 5:00 am, I think. Maybe 6."

"Was anyone with you?"

"No. Well—yes. Later." She hesitated, and I held my breath. I knew what the next words from her lips would be, but the force of them knocked the air from my lungs leaving me winded. I forced myself to remain focused, and reminded myself, _this isn't news to you_. "Um, Adrian Ivanshkov visited me."

Iris, Abe, and Rose disgusted her alibi for several more moments and I listened intently. Abe had pointed out the oddity of the exact time provided by the janitor, and I made a mental note to investigate his claim myself. I was sure the exact time he provided was influence by money changing hands or promises of future favors. I was sure that he could lead me to the next clue I needed to secure Rose's freedom.

The atmosphere changed as the conversation of an alibi was closed. Iris stood taller for a moment, and I could see the excitement in the antsy tapping of her toes. If she thought she was concealing her emotions, she was wrong. I couldn't see her face, but I could tell she was about to reveal her most damning bit of evidence. I felt her contagious anticipation as her voice sang in evil tones, "Next exhibit."

She held a clear container that distorted the contents within, but I knew what she was holding. The silver stake used to kill Queen Tatiana. Iris hesitated for a moment after retrieving the stake before turning back to Rose and the judge. She used the time to cover the triumphant smile plastered on her face, and I could see in her eyes, that the stake she held was undoubtedly Rose's, and she knew it. I silently hoped that Rose would proceed cautiously in answering the questions that were sure to follow.

As she turned back to Rose, Iris proclaimed, "This is the stake that was used to kill the queen. Miss Hathaway's stake." Again, reminding everyone present that she had stolen Rose's title.

Ibrahim's laugher quieted any conversation that I started with Iris's proclamation. "Oh, come on!" He was talking to her as if he was reasoning with a two-year-old. "Guardians are issued stakes all the time. They have an enormous, identical supply."

I knew before Iris said anything else that she, too, was aware of this fact, and her joy meant that there was some way of identifying this stake. She didn't acknowledge Ibrahim's comment, or even his presence, and turned to Rose. "Where is your stake right now?"

Rose's face faltered as she frowned. I could tell she wasn't certain of the exact whereabouts of her stake, but knew it must have been in her room. She delivered her response with confidence despite the hesitation I saw in her eyes. "In my room." I only recognized the hesitation in her eyes because of the countless training sessions I had spent studying her face. I hoped that no one else saw it.

Iris turned towards the crowd, smile still painted on her face. "Guardian Stone?"

A Guardian stood to the left of me. He was shorter than I was, not as strong in appearance. Older as well. His face was obscured by the angle in which he stood, but I could see the blood rush to the surface of his neck and ears when he was addressed. "Yes?" He was embarrassed, but as he responded, his ears rose in the way they only do with a smile, and I questioned the truth in whatever he was about to say. I repeated his name to myself three times so I wouldn't forget. I looked forward to the conversation he and I would be having later.

"You conducted the search of Miss Hathaway's room and belongs, correct?"

In true Rose-style, she spoke without thinking, her voice offended and angry, "You searched my—" and she stopped suddenly, eyes locked on her lawyer. I was gaining more trust in him as he illustrated his control of her.

Guardian stone responded, "Correct" with the same unease demeanor and a practiced voice. I started to question my objectivity. Guardians were trained to protect. Maybe I was seeing more than was there, maybe not. I resolved to still talk to him and find out what he knew.

"And did you find any silver stakes?"

"No."

Ibrahim seemed to find humor in this line of questioning as well. In words that could have been laughter, he exclaimed, "That proves nothing. She could have lost the stake without realizing it."

"Lost it in the queen's heart?" The judge reprimanded Iris for such an inappropriate statement, but the damage of her words had already been done. More Moroi around me seemed convinced of her guilt. Irish apologized and turned to Rose. "Miss Hathaway, is there anything special about your stake? Anything that would distinguish it from others?"

As Rose hesitantly confirmed that he stake was not a standard issue stake, a shadow of a memory played in the back of my mind. I refused to give it my full attention, but it still played out like an old movie clip. Rose and tried to stake the Strigoi me with a stolen stake from where I held her captive. Our position on the bridge didn't give her a direct line, and the love in her eyes, I was sure restricted the strength of her hopefully-deadly blow. The silver in my flesh was like a pain I hadn't known before, and I tried to surrender to it. It wasn't until I hit the water after falling from the bridge and the stake came loose that I realized she had barely missed my heart. Using my shirt, I brought the stake back to the house, penning her a threatening letter, and mailed it back to her at the academy. I knew that stake well. In the hilt, it had an engraved Celtic emblem.

Iris asked Rose to explain any marking that separated her stake from others, and once Rose explained the "geometric design," Iris's air became triumphant. She showed the stake in the container to each individual on the council, pointing out what must have been the same pattern Rose described. She then turned to Rose and asked, though never really needing an answer, "Is this your pattern? Your stake?"

Rose's bottom lip dropped in a silent gasp. She was about to confirm it was hers when she made the briefest eye contact with Ibrahim. Before many could notice her expression, she arranged her face into her practiced Guardian mask and spoke, "It… it looks _similar_ to the design on mine. But I can't say for sure if it's the exact same one." I couldn't help the smile that played at the corner of my lips. That was such a Rose response that I almost forgot the seriousness of the situation. For that moment, I was just proud.

Iris was one step ahead of Rose, however, and she was already producing a sheet of paper. "Of course you can't. But now that the Council has seen that the design matches her description and is _almost _like her stake, I would like to point out that the testing has revealed that her fingerprints are on it." I my breath caught in my throat. There was no denying it was her stake with her fingerprints. I knew that that fact alone didn't implicate her in this murder, but it was definitely her stake.

The judge asked, "Any other fingerprints?"

"No, Your Honor. Just hers."

It wasn't until Ibrahim spoke again that I realized he'd been relatively quiet during this process. His voice still carried a jovial tone as he shrugged and stated, "That means nothing. Someone steals her stake and wears gloves. Her fingerprints would be on it because it's hers." He was dancing a fine line between condescending and obvious, and seemed smug in his response.

Ibrahim and Irish began to dispute the weight of the evidence. She was confident that the images and objects she presented in addition to the testimony of others about Rose's outburst were enough to convict her. Ibrahim reminded her that she had no solid proof, her evidence was full of holes, and it was all circumstantial. Iris ended the conversation by stating, "There are countless other records of Her Majesty and Miss Hathaway sparring in public. Would you like me to find those papers too, or are we able to vote on a trial now?"

The question was directed to the judge and she was considering a response when Rose spoke up. "Your Honor?" She asked, slightly timidly. "Can I say something?"

The way that Iris presented the evidence against Rose did present a foundation for trial, be it a weak and flimsy one. But I was certain that anything Rose said in her defense wouldn't be well rehearsed or well thought out. One of her most endearing qualities was her impulse to speak and act before reasoning, and I was nervous before she even began to talk. Ibrahim looked around, his face showing my fears.

"Okay." Her voice was steady, calm, as if she was reasoning with Lissa. "You've put up a lot of suspicious stuff here. I can see that." Ibrahim tapped his foot loudly, trying to quiet her. I wished I could do something, too. "But that's the thing. It's _too_ suspicious. If I were going to murder someone" My braining was screaming _ Stop talking, Roza! Stop! _"I wouldn't be that stupid. Do you think I'd leave my stake stuck in her chest? Do you think I wouldn't wear gloves? Com on. That's insulting. I f I'm as crafty as you claim my record says I am, then why would I do it this way? I mean, seriously? If I did it, it'd be a lot better." _Please stop! _"You'd never even peg me as a suspect. This all really kind of an insult to my intelligence."

By the time she'd finished her speech, my head was in my hands, and I was suppressing the rage I felt. I wasn't upset with her. I knew she was just trying to take control of the situation, but I hated what was happening. Ibrahim called her name to try to stop her, but after a short breath, she kept going. I felt like I was watching her destroy herself. I was helpless.

"All this evidence you've got is so painfully obvious. Hell, whoever set this up might as well have painted an arrow straight to me—and someone did set me up, but you guys are to stupid to even consider that." She was losing her composure. She took a deep breath and I could see her Guardian mask fall back into place. When she spoke again, her voice was calmer, but still urgent. "You want an easy answer. A quick answer. And you especially want someone with no connections, no powerful family to protect them…" Another hesitation with a loaded glance to Ibrahim. I wasn't sure what he expression was. Apologetic. Guilt. What about her statement made her look that way at Ibrahim? She continued, "Because that's how it always is. That's how it was with that age law." _Stop! Don't bring that up!_ "No one was able to stand up for the dhampirs either because this goddamned system won't allow it." My hand was now a fist is my mouth. I wanted to scream out to her to stop, but knew it wouldn't make a difference. Rose made a habit of getting carried away. I had just hoped in this type of situation she would have reined herself in. She seemed to realize her error, and paused again. When she began to speak, I groaned, earning looks from several of the observers around me. I didn't care. "Um, anyway, Your Honor… what I'm trying to say is that this evidence shouldn't be enough to accuse me or send me to trial. I wouldn't plan a murder this badly."

My mind went blank. Rose had done a lot of reckless things in the months that I had known her, but this far surpassed them all. What was she thinking? What good did she think would come of that? I could tell that Ibrahim was thinking the same thing. The slant to his shoulders confirmed how defeated he must be feeling.

Rose was instructed to take her seat while the Council deliberated. Ibrahim joined her with a stern look on his face. "What in the world were you thinking?" His voice was no louder than a whisper, but it echoed through me. The exact words I would have chosen. Everyone's attention seemed to be on the Council as they spoke to one another, but I was focused only on Rose and her lawyer.

"I was telling it like it is. I was defending myself." Rose seemed eager to make him understand. Her eyes were pleading.

"I wouldn't go that far. You're not a lawyer," Ibrahim stated, and I questioned his merit after not quieting her destructive speech.

As if something was funny, a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth, Rose responded, "Neither are you, old man."

_Old man. No powerful family to protect them. _Rose's words danced in my head as a realization took form in my head. I had undoubtedly seen the love in Ibrahim's eyes when he strutted into the courtroom. The guilt when she claimed she had no powerful family. There was no question that Ibrahim was powerful. Was she afraid she'd offended him? Could… Was it possible? _Old man._ Ibrahim Mazur was Rose's father?

A murmur started to rise around the room and I knew that the Council had given their verdict to send this case to a trial. People were quick to head for the door, already gossiping about what had happened and speculating about what was coming. Adrian, Christian and Lissa all stood and faced Rose, Lissa undoubtedly wanting to comfort her bondmate, but the crowd was too dense. Rose gave a sheepish smile in her direction, always trying to protect Lissa. Rose's eyes then shifted to Adrian, and she seemed compassionate. Her expression played at my heartstrings, not because I was jealous or upset by the attention Adrian was receiving but because I was watching the woman that I loved walk back to prison, only concerned about the ones she loved. Selfless. _My Roza._

And as if my thoughts called out to her, she lifted her gaze to meet my eyes. Her lips parted in a silent gasp. Surprise. I tried to hold my strong, confident exterior, but I knew, my eyes showed the tornado of emotion within. I was overwhelmed with love her, duty to protect her, determination to reveal the truth. Control. I needed control of the situation. I needed to fight. I would do whatever I needed to do.

I was caught by her gaze, unable to look away, unable to move, but a rage was building inside of me. A rage I hadn't felt in a very long time. I had to act. I was ready to act. I waited for some indication of what she wanted me to do.

And then, our gaze was broken. She looked down at someone sitting next to her. Understanding crossed her face as she shifted her weight. I could see Ambrose sitting beside her. He looked straight ahead, his face betraying no emotion. Another name to my list of people to question. He knew something. A bit of movement at Rose's hips redirected my attention as she held a piece of parchment out of sight of her _father_. She read it over. Once. Twice. Then folded it and slipped it out of sight when Ibrahim questioned her. Her expression was puzzled. Calculating.

I needed to know what was on that paper. I would have to find a way to talk to her first.

Rose's voice reached my ears. "Are you saying you knew this hearing was a lost cause from the beginning?" She sounded desperate.

"This hearing wasn't important," Ibrahim told her. I wasn't sure how that was true. "What happens next is."

"And what is that exactly?"

With a smirk and taunting wink, Ibrahim responded, "Nothing you need to worry about yet."

A guardian blocked the remainder of the conversation from my sight as he pulled Rose from the court room. Something in Ibrahim's look matched the madness in me, and I knew he was promising Rose her freedom.

I didn't like Ibrahim Mazur. Not the rumors I heard about him. Not him as a person. But there, in the courtroom, I felt a connection to him. He had as much invested in Rose Hathaway as I did!

* * *

**a/n: Please review.**


	7. Dimitri's Decision

**Chapter 7: Dimitri's Decision**

After the escort took Rose away, I suddenly had no energy. My legs collapsed and I feel into a seat, no longer able to hold my head up. The weight of the last several days was crashing down on me, and I was exhausted. I covered my face with both hands, hiding from the world, hiding from myself. I let my eyes close and replayed the hearing in my mind. So much about the hearing had bothered me. So many things seemed out of place. Damon Tarus. Danellia. The evidence. The guardian. The janitor. Amborse.

Thinking his name made me curious. I ran my fingers over my head and through my hair and took in my surroundings. Several people were still standing around the courtroom, but no one worth my attention. Across the aisle, however, Ambrose was still seated. As far as I could tell, he hadn't moved a muscle since sliding that note into Rose's hand.

I knew there were a lot of people that I needed to talk to, and I wasn't afraid to use force. But right now, the logical thing to do was corner Aborse and see what he knew. Rumor implicated him in an intimate relationship with the Queen, and if that were the case, I wondered what his involvement might be. He probably would be able to enlighten me to people who would gain from her death.

I decided to wait until we were the last two left in the courtroom. Despite my eagerness to do something, I knew I had to be patient. Slowly, other's started to trickle into the hall way and outside. Amborse still unmoving. Only a few more individuals were lingering and I was able to listen to the conversations they were having.

One couple made plans for a romantic rendezvous. Not important to me. Others were talking about Rose's speech. Quickly, I was able to determine they had no useful information, and their analysis of Rose was making me irate. I didn't have the energy to be that mad. In the corner, three gentlemen maybe a year older than Rose stood in the corner. They kept shooting glances my way and I caught my whispered name. A few seconds of descrete listening, I was able to determine that they didn't believe I had been returned completely to my dhampir form, and they were planning a way to provoke me into an angry tirade. I didn't have enough energy to stay calm and wait for Amborse, so I stood to my feet and left the courthouse.

Many people had dispersed from the streets by the time I made my way outside, though a few clusters of people remained. I spotted Lissa and her gang across the courtyard and she gave me a sheepish grin. I could read in her eyes that she hurt for me, and at the moment, I was too angry for sympathy. I nodded to acknowledge her, and made my way in the opposite direction.

I was walked around the Royal Court, I ran through the bits of information I had discovered and those I kept locked away. Something was still nagging at me in the back of my head. A Strigoi memory I tried to repress with the others. I had traced Rose to the hotel in Vegas, were I found her with Victor and his brother. They had gone unseen and unheard for months now. He had reason to hate the Queen. Reason's to remove Rose from the scene. I couldn't help but wonder if he had anything to do with this plot. But, I knew Victor was plagued by his disease and his brother was bothered by Spirit. I wasn't sure if either were strong enough to pull off a murder like this without being caught.

Daniella's reaction at the hearing made me wonder what her involvement may have been. Something about her reaction both to her conversation with Lissa and the hearing made me certain she was somehow involved, but I wasn't sure if that was just a motherly concern because her son was publically known to be romantically involved with Rose. I could understand where that notion would have made her uncomfortable. According to the rumor's I overheard, the Queen wasn't quiet about expressing her disgust for the relationship. Could maybe Adrian be involved?

Considering Adrian meant questioning the affection he displayed for Rose. It was no secret that Adrian wasn't completely mentally stable. Would instability make him the perfect deceptionest? Could he be fooling everyone to believe that he loved Rose while he framed her for murder? Her certainly had access to Rose's room and would not have been questioned if he was seen entering the queens quarters. But something about that didn't seem right either. While I couldn't quite find it in myself to blame Adrian, though, really, I wanted to, I still felt that something wasn't as it seemed with him. He had an ulterior motive. I just didn't know what it could be.

As I wondered around aimlessly, I had a reoccurring thought. I tried to ignore it, to push it from my mind, but I couldn't. Before I had changed, I would have had access to all the information surrounding this case. I would have access to Rose. I knew I could get both of those things with force, but ultimately, to protect Rose, I knew I needed to use discretion. I finally found myself left with no other option.

I was acting out my decision before it was even made. I wasn't sure where I was going, my I followed my instincts. Within moments I was entering the building for which I was heading, and I checked the registry.

As I raised my arm to knock on the door, I knew this was my only hope of setting Rose free. I wrapped three times and waited. The door slowly opened.

"Ah, Dimitri. I wondered when you would come. Your grandmother told me to expect you."

Ibrahim's voice was friendly and inviting as he opened the door to let me in.

* * *

**a/n: This is the end of this story. I have started to reread the VA series and will start writing from the beginning. As I delve more into the characters and analyze who they are, I may right from more perspectives, (has anyone wondered about Abe? How about Demka Grandmother?) and even continue through my thoughts for Last Sacrifice. No promise, but if there is something you would really like to see, send me a personal message and we'll see what I can do. Hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think.**


End file.
